Editor’s Note: Pause With A Promise

Editor’s Note: Pause With A Promise

Ever feel you need to take your stress down a notch? Life is just sending too many perplexities, puzzles, and pressures your way? I do. I want to enjoy the peace and joy God promises me, but my life doesn’t always feel peaceful. I know God’s word is full of promises. I read them and have even memorized some. I pray and ask God to give me His peace that passes understanding… but life rushes on and…to be honest, sometimes it feels like nothing changes. If you can relate, here is a tip that is helping me: pause with a promise.

God’s promises can be like seeds planted in soil. Poor soil, poor growth. Rich soil, abundant growth. I need to prepare an atmosphere for the seeds to grow. That’s where the “pause” comes in. Seeds need time, nurture, and constant cultivation. The more I choose to slow down, reflect, and nurture the space around a promise, the more it takes root, seeps into my being, and starts sprouting some peace. I’m not ignoring my problems, I’m giving them to God, often, and then allowing Him some space to instill His peace in me that passes all my understanding (Philippians 4:7).

For me, this isn’t just once a day. I find I must press pause and nurture my soul often. Stress has a pesky pattern of returning in various forms throughout the day. I must stop, take a deep breath, recall a promise, and let is wash over and into my being again. I find it helps to put promise reminders all around: on the phone, desktop, bathroom mirror, anywhere handy. My mind needs weeded often and nurtured with whatever is pure, noble, lovely, and good (Philippians 4:8) God calls us to cast all our cares on Christ (1 Peter 5:7), plant a promise, (Romans 4:21), and pause (Psalm 119:15).

When the going gets tough, claim a promise, and p-a-u-s-e . . .

Juanita Edge, Communication Director